Steering mechanism for vehicles.



E. W. BLISS.

STEERING MEGHANISM POR VEHICLES. APPLIoATxoN PILBD MAY 5. 1909.

Patented May 1'4, 1912.

E. WVBLISS.

l STEERING MEGHANISM POR VEHICLES.

APPLIoATIoN FILED MAY 5, 190s|` 1,026,146. 'PatentedMay 14,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET?.

. EDWARD W. BLISS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

l. STEERING MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May14, 1912.

Application tiled May A5, 1909. 4Serial No. 493,996.

4To' all whom t may concern Be it 4knownI that I, Eowano W. Brass,

` of Rochester. in the county of Monroe and VState of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Steering Mechanism for Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

i exact description off the same, reference bemobiles. boats and air ships.

To this and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the eml of the specification.

In the drawings: Figure l is a top view of a portion of an automobile. with the present improvements attached thereto; Fig. 2 is a central vertical section ofthe parts illustrated in Fig. 1; Fi". 3 is a vertical section through one of the vehicle wheels showing in section those portions of the invention attached to and arranged in proximity to the wheel; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section showing the manner ot c'onm-eting the steering mechanism to a vehicle wheel; Fig. :is a .view showing a portion ofthe wheel in section nml the supplemental steering mechanism in plan, the main steering mechanism heilig removed in order to afford better illustration; Fig. t is a' detail planview of the main steering mechanism, and Fig. 7 is a detail view of the bearing member which is secured to thc wheel for the purpose of effecting connection of the supplemental steering mechanism to the wheel.

In the present fanlaalin'ient the invention is applied to an automobile of" which only parts are illustrated, 1 indicating the side pieces of' the framel of the vehicle and Qthe front axle which may carry, as usual. spindlcs swinging about vertical axes and having turning thereon wheels 4 of yany suitable construction. 'lhe steering of the, vehicle is effected by a main steering mechanism preferably embodying arms 5 rigid with and extending rearwardly from the thereto.

spindles f. a'nd connected by a rod (i for simultaneous movement. Also connected to one of the arms 5 is an arm T to` which a lpull rod or bar S is pivotally secured, the latter being operatively connected to a swinging arm t) mounted on the frame at- 10 and having a worm wheel 1l connected 'lhe worm wheel 1 1 meshes with a worm l2 which is rigidlysecured to an operating shaft 13 supported in any suitable manner. as by bracket l-l, and having the` operating or controlling member or steering wheel l5 secured at its upper end.

Combined with the main steering mechanism is a supplemental steering mechanism which preferably is operable from the controlling member of the main steering mech- :mism so as to be operated simultaneously with the latter aml has direct connection with the vehicle wheels. This mechanism may comprise a shaft lt' lying parallel with shaft lt and geared to the latter by gearing 17. 0n the lower end of the .shaft lo is arranged a worm ls which meshes with the worm wheel lt) supported on the' vehicle frame and operatively connected to the swinging arm 20 which in turn connects with a pull bar or rod 2l that extends forwardly and is pivoted to au arln 2Q on a member .'lhe member .23 is preferably in the form of a ring mounted to swing about an axis coincident with the turning axis ol the spindle 3, the ring having arms Lr extending therefrom and turiling on a pivot pin ll which also serves for securing one ot' the pivoted spindles it to axle .2. 'lhe member is duplicated upon the opposite side of the machine and both members are connected for sinmltaneous movement prefer-- ably by rods .25 which are pivolcd at 26 to arms 2T extended inwardly from the opposite sides of thc ring members. 'l'o permit these ring members .to connect directly to the wheels there is arranged on each wheel an annular bearing member for cooperation with tlc ring members .23 which bearing member preferably embodies an amnllus 28 fitting thc inner eml of' the hub 2U as a substitute for a hub plate and being secured in position to the hub by boltslO. At its inner end` the annulus carries a fixed flange :ll provided on one face with a ball raceway BQ while the'periplnery of the annulus is screw threaded e\'ternally at 253 to 4receive a retaining ring 3ft formed with a ball raceway 35. Between the flanges 31 and the right shaft retaining ring 34, the ring member 23 operates, balls 36 traveling 1n vthe raceways32 and 35 'and in coperating raceways 37 formed on opposite sides of the ring member` and serving to reduce the friction between the ring member 23 and .the bearing member on the wheel.

. In operation, 'the controller or steering `wheel 15 is rotated to steer thel vehicle. This effects the rotation of the'shafts 13 and 1G causing both the main and the supplemental steering mechanism to be sii'nult-aneously operated, the rod 8 shittingr the spindle 3 .and

i a supplemental .steering mechanism having operative connection with the vehicle-'independently ofthe main steering mechanism and embodying'a shaft parallel withthe first named shaft and geared to the latter to be operated thereby.

2. The combination with a vehicle having swingingly mounted spindles and Wheels turning,` thereon, of a main 'steering mechanism emlnjdyin{ l an upright shaft having a manually controlled member secured to the upper endthereot, oi a supplemental steering mechanism embodying a shaft'parallel with the first named shaft and geared to the latter to be operated thereby, said supplemental steering mechanism having opera-tlive connection with the vehicle independentlyiof the main steering,` nleehanism comprising' devices colwratingwith the Wheels and pivots for said devices supported independently ot the Wheels and arranged coincident with the swinging axes of the spindles." E'DVVARD l/V.v BLISS:

lVit-nesses: f

Russnnn B. GRAIFFITHL HAROLD H. SIMMS. 

